10 riders to watch in the Tour de France

By GREG KELLER Associated Press
| 3 a.m.July 1, 2014

FILE – In this July 17, 2013, file photo, stage winner and overall leader Chris Froome of Britain celebrates on the podium of the seventeenth stage of the Tour de France cycling race an individual time trial over 32 kilometers (20 miles) with start in Embrun and finish in Chorges, France. Explosive sprinters, svelte climbers, powerful time trialists: the Tour de France is not just about the handful of all-rounders who will vie for the coveted yellow jersey when the race begins on Saturday in Leeds, England. (AP Photo/Laurent Rebours, File)
The Associated Press

FILE – In this July 17, 2013, file photo, stage winner and overall leader Chris Froome of Britain celebrates on the podium of the seventeenth stage of the Tour de France cycling race an individual time trial over 32 kilometers (20 miles) with start in Embrun and finish in Chorges, France. Explosive sprinters, svelte climbers, powerful time trialists: the Tour de France is not just about the handful of all-rounders who will vie for the coveted yellow jersey when the race begins on Saturday in Leeds, England. (AP Photo/Laurent Rebours, File)

FILE – In this, July 17, 2013, file photo, Spain's Alberto Contador, second in the overall standings, strains in the last meters of the seventeenth stage of the Tour de France cycling race an individual time trial over 32 kilometers (20 miles) with start in Embrun and finish in Chorges, France. Explosive sprinters, svelte climbers, powerful time trialists: the Tour de France is not just about the handful of all-rounders who will vie for the coveted yellow jersey when the race begins on Saturday in Leeds, England. (AP Photo/Laurent Rebours, File)The Associated Press

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FILE – In this, July 17, 2013, file photo, Spain's Alberto Contador, second in the overall standings, strains in the last meters of the seventeenth stage of the Tour de France cycling race an individual time trial over 32 kilometers (20 miles) with start in Embrun and finish in Chorges, France. Explosive sprinters, svelte climbers, powerful time trialists: the Tour de France is not just about the handful of all-rounders who will vie for the coveted yellow jersey when the race begins on Saturday in Leeds, England. (AP Photo/Laurent Rebours, File)

FILE – In this April 23, 2014, file photo Spain's Alejandro Valverde of the Movistar team celebrates as he wins the Belgian cycling classic Walloon Arrow/Fleche Wallonne, in Huy, Belgium. Explosive sprinters, svelte climbers, powerful time trialists: the Tour de France is not just about the handful of all-rounders who will vie for the coveted yellow jersey when the race begins on Saturday in Leeds, England. (AP Photo/Yves Logghe, File)The Associated Press

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FILE – In this April 23, 2014, file photo Spain's Alejandro Valverde of the Movistar team celebrates as he wins the Belgian cycling classic Walloon Arrow/Fleche Wallonne, in Huy, Belgium. Explosive sprinters, svelte climbers, powerful time trialists: the Tour de France is not just about the handful of all-rounders who will vie for the coveted yellow jersey when the race begins on Saturday in Leeds, England. (AP Photo/Yves Logghe, File)

FILE – In this, June 29, 2013, file photo, Marcel Kittel of Germany celebrates winning ahead of Danny van Poppel of The Netherlands, right side behind Kittel and third place, during the first stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 213 kilometers (133 miles) with start in Porto Vecchio and finish in Bastia, Corsica island, France. Explosive sprinters, svelte climbers, powerful time trialists: the Tour de France is not just about the handful of all-rounders who will vie for the coveted yellow jersey when the race begins on Saturday in Leeds, England. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena, File)The Associated Press

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FILE – In this, June 29, 2013, file photo, Marcel Kittel of Germany celebrates winning ahead of Danny van Poppel of The Netherlands, right side behind Kittel and third place, during the first stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 213 kilometers (133 miles) with start in Porto Vecchio and finish in Bastia, Corsica island, France. Explosive sprinters, svelte climbers, powerful time trialists: the Tour de France is not just about the handful of all-rounders who will vie for the coveted yellow jersey when the race begins on Saturday in Leeds, England. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena, File)

FILE – In this July 14, 2013, file photo Joaquim Rodriguez of Spain climbs in the last kilometer of the Mont Ventoux pass during the fifteenth stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 242.5 kilometers (150.7 miles) with start in in Givors and finish on the summit of Mont Ventoux pass, France. Explosive sprinters, svelte climbers, powerful time trialists: the Tour de France is not just about the handful of all-rounders who will vie for the coveted yellow jersey when the race begins on Saturday in Leeds, England. (AP Photo/Laurent Rebours)The Associated Press

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FILE – In this July 14, 2013, file photo Joaquim Rodriguez of Spain climbs in the last kilometer of the Mont Ventoux pass during the fifteenth stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 242.5 kilometers (150.7 miles) with start in in Givors and finish on the summit of Mont Ventoux pass, France. Explosive sprinters, svelte climbers, powerful time trialists: the Tour de France is not just about the handful of all-rounders who will vie for the coveted yellow jersey when the race begins on Saturday in Leeds, England. (AP Photo/Laurent Rebours)

FILE – In this, Aug. 28, 2013, file photo Vincenzo Nibali of Italy celebrates at the podium his overall lead after the fifth stage of the Spanish Vuelta, a 174.3-kilometer (108.3-mile) ride starting in Sober and finishing at the Lago de Sanabria, Spain. Explosive sprinters, svelte climbers, powerful time trialists: the Tour de France is not just about the handful of all-rounders who will vie for the coveted yellow jersey when the race begins on Saturday in Leeds, England. (AP Photo/Paulo Duarte)The Associated Press

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FILE – In this, Aug. 28, 2013, file photo Vincenzo Nibali of Italy celebrates at the podium his overall lead after the fifth stage of the Spanish Vuelta, a 174.3-kilometer (108.3-mile) ride starting in Sober and finishing at the Lago de Sanabria, Spain. Explosive sprinters, svelte climbers, powerful time trialists: the Tour de France is not just about the handful of all-rounders who will vie for the coveted yellow jersey when the race begins on Saturday in Leeds, England. (AP Photo/Paulo Duarte)

FILE – This July 9, 2011, file photo shows Tejay Van Garderen of the US, wearing the best climber's dotted jersey, celebrates on the podium of the 8th stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 189 kilometers (117.5 miles) starting in Aigurande and finishing in Super Besse Sancy in Aigurande, central France. Explosive sprinters, svelte climbers, powerful time trialists: the Tour de France is not just about the handful of all-rounders who will vie for the coveted yellow jersey when the race begins on Saturday in Leeds, England. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)The Associated Press

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FILE – This July 9, 2011, file photo shows Tejay Van Garderen of the US, wearing the best climber's dotted jersey, celebrates on the podium of the 8th stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 189 kilometers (117.5 miles) starting in Aigurande and finishing in Super Besse Sancy in Aigurande, central France. Explosive sprinters, svelte climbers, powerful time trialists: the Tour de France is not just about the handful of all-rounders who will vie for the coveted yellow jersey when the race begins on Saturday in Leeds, England. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)

FILE – This July 14, 2012, file photo shows Peter Sagan of Slovakia, wearing the best sprinter's green jersey, as he celebrates on the podium of the 13th stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 217 kilometers (134.8 miles) with start in Saint-Paul-Trois-Chateaux and finish in Le Cap D'Agde, France. Explosive sprinters, svelte climbers, powerful time trialists: the Tour de France is not just about the handful of all-rounders who will vie for the coveted yellow jersey when the race begins on Saturday in Leeds, England. (AP Photo/Laurent Rebours)The Associated Press

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FILE – This July 14, 2012, file photo shows Peter Sagan of Slovakia, wearing the best sprinter's green jersey, as he celebrates on the podium of the 13th stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 217 kilometers (134.8 miles) with start in Saint-Paul-Trois-Chateaux and finish in Le Cap D'Agde, France. Explosive sprinters, svelte climbers, powerful time trialists: the Tour de France is not just about the handful of all-rounders who will vie for the coveted yellow jersey when the race begins on Saturday in Leeds, England. (AP Photo/Laurent Rebours)

FILE – In this March 7, 2013 file photo Andrew Talansky of US, wearing the yellow jersey of overall leader, crosses the finish line of the fourth leg of the Paris-Nice cycling race in Saint Vallier, central France. Explosive sprinters, svelte climbers, powerful time trialists: the Tour de France is not just about the handful of all-rounders who will vie for the coveted yellow jersey when the race begins on Saturday in Leeds, England. (AP Photo/Lionel Cironneau, File)The Associated Press

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FILE – In this March 7, 2013 file photo Andrew Talansky of US, wearing the yellow jersey of overall leader, crosses the finish line of the fourth leg of the Paris-Nice cycling race in Saint Vallier, central France. Explosive sprinters, svelte climbers, powerful time trialists: the Tour de France is not just about the handful of all-rounders who will vie for the coveted yellow jersey when the race begins on Saturday in Leeds, England. (AP Photo/Lionel Cironneau, File)

FILE – In this, July 12, 2013, file photo Mark Cavendish of Britain crosses the finish line to win the thirteenth stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 173 kilometers (108.1 miles) with start in in Tours and finish in Saint-Amand-Montrond, western France. Explosive sprinters, svelte climbers, powerful time trialists: the Tour de France is not just about the handful of all-rounders who will vie for the coveted yellow jersey when the race begins on Saturday in Leeds, England. (AP Photo/Laurent Rebours, File)The Associated Press

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FILE – In this, July 12, 2013, file photo Mark Cavendish of Britain crosses the finish line to win the thirteenth stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 173 kilometers (108.1 miles) with start in in Tours and finish in Saint-Amand-Montrond, western France. Explosive sprinters, svelte climbers, powerful time trialists: the Tour de France is not just about the handful of all-rounders who will vie for the coveted yellow jersey when the race begins on Saturday in Leeds, England. (AP Photo/Laurent Rebours, File)

PARIS (AP) — Explosive sprinters, svelte climbers, powerful time trialists: The Tour de France is not just about the handful of allrounders who will vie for the coveted yellow jersey when the race begins on Saturday in Leeds, England.

Team Sky's Chris Froome is favored to repeat as champion, but he'll be tested by the 2,277-mile (3,364-kilomater) route, which was laid out with the aim of encouraging riders to take chances, with more short-but-treacherous mountain stages like those in the relatively little-used Vosges region.

Should Froome dominate the race as he did in 2013, however, there will be other storylines to keep fans interested:

Will Mark Cavendish fight off the new generation of German and French sprinters aiming to claim the crown of Tour Sprint King? Who among the young American riders will emerge as the next great hope of U.S. cycling? What's happened to Luxembourg's once-formidable Schleck brothers? And does aging veteran Jens Voigt still have one more thrilling breakaway victory left in him?

Here are 10 riders to watch:

CHRIS FROOME: The defending champion has every chance of repeating, and giving Team Sky its third Tour victory in as many years. The 29-year-old Kenyan-born Brit grabbed the yellow jersey with a victory at Ax 3 Domaines in the Pyrenees in Stage 8 and held it for the rest of the race. His closest rival, Colombian sensation Nairo Quintana, finished over four minutes behind him, and is skipping this year's Tour to focus on the Spanish Vuelta in September. Froome also won't have to worry about managing his sometimes-fraught relationship with teammate Bradley Wiggins, the 2012 champ who was left out of Sky's squad.

MARK CAVENDISH: The 29-year-old "Manx Missile" will again be a contender for the sprinter's green jersey in his second year riding for the Belgian squad Omega Pharma Quick-Step. Cavendish, who has the most Tour stage wins (25) of any active rider, also has a chance to wear the yellow jersey for the first time in his career after route planners decided to start the race with a sprint stage that just so happens to finish in his mother's hometown of Harrogate. A bout of bronchitis prevented the 2013 British road champion from defending his title in June, but Cavendish hopes to be back to full strength for the Tour.

ALBERTO CONTADOR: At 31, the Spaniard known as "El Pistolero" is the most decorated stage racer of his generation, with five grand tours in his palmares, including two Tours de France. The Tinkoff-Saxo rider will be out to reclaim his position at the top of the sport after he was stripped of the 2010 Tour title for a doping violation, and lost a podium spot in the 2013 Tour on the penultimate stage. His form has been good this season, with stage wins and overall victories in two important weeklong races. Tirreno-Adriatico in March and Tour of Basque Country in April, as well as a close second-place finish in June's Criterium du Dauphine. As a headline in French newspaper L'Equipe declared in March, "The King is Back."

MARCEL KITTEL: The 26-year-old German dethroned Cavendish last year as the fastest man on the Champs-Elysees, ending the Brit's four-year winning streak in the final stage finish. The Giant-Shimano rider has won stages in all three Grand Tours, including two at this year's Giro d'Italia, to add to his haul of four stages at last year's Tour — double Cavendish's take.

VINCENZO NIBALI: The 29-year-old Italian climber, known as "The Shark," won last year's Giro d'Italia and was runner-up at the Spanish Vuelta. The Astana rider's coach told the Italian newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport that Nibali has spent recent weeks in the Italian Dolomites preparing his attack, with the aim of hitting peak form just before the Tour. His recent victory at the Italian championships suggests he's ready.

JOAQUIM RODRIGUEZ: The Spaniard known as "Purito" (Little Cigar) remains a threat for the Tour podium at age 35. The Team Katusha rider grabbed a third-place finish in last year's Tour thanks to a standout performance in the penultimate stage in the Alps, where only Quintana was able to out-climb him to the finish at Semnoz. This season, his best result has been a victory in the Volta a Catalunya in his hometown of Barcelona in March, when he beat Contador and Froome.

PETER SAGAN: The charismatic Slovak is the favorite to win the sprinter's green jersey for a third year in a row. The 24-year-old Cannondale rider won only one stage last year but was a constant threat, with four second-place and two third-place stage finishes. Known for his humorous finish-line salutes, as well as his bike-handling skills, which rivals call the best in the peloton, Sagan is consistently one of the most exciting riders to watch.

ANDREW TALANSKY: The 25-year-old Garmin-Sharp rider was the top-performing American last year, finishing 10th. He also turned more than a few heads after winning June's Criterium du Dauphine, using wily tactics to defeat Contador, Froome and Nibali on the race's final summit finish in the Alps for the biggest victory of his career.

TEJAY VAN GARDEREN: The 2012 white jersey winner had a disappointing Tour last year, but his BMC Racing team believes in him enough to tap him as team leader over former yellow jersey winner Cadel Evans. The 25-year-old will be supported by a squad that's been largely revamped since 2013, with five new riders, including fellow American Peter Stetina.

ALEJANDRO VALVERDE: The 34-year-old Spaniard will lead Team Movistar in Quintana's absence. Valverde returned to cycling in 2012 after a two-year doping ban and has racked up some impressive performances since then, including a podium finish behind Froome and Sky teammate Richie Porte in last year's difficult Stage 8 summit finish at Ax 3 Domaines, and a fourth-place finish on Mont Semnoz. Valverde can also take hope from the hilly time trial in the penultimate stage: He conceded only 30 seconds to Froome in a similar stage last year.